Publications

To order copies of ABIM publications, call 1-800-441-ABIM, ext. 3630 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET or e-mail publicationorders@abim.org. Please include the following information in your e-mail:

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Mini-CEX

The ABIM Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) is intended to facilitate formative assessment of core clinical skills. It can be used by faculty as a routine, seamless evaluation of trainees in any setting.

The Mini-CEX is a 10-20 minute direct observation assessment or “snapshot” of a trainee-patient interaction. Faculty are encouraged to perform at least one per clinical rotation. To be most useful, faculty should provide timely and specific feedback to the trainee after each assessment of a trainee-patient encounter.

Mini-CEX booklets can be ordered directly from ABIM free of charge. ABIM recommends ordering one booklet, per trainee, per academic year. The Mini-CEX (pdf) can be distributed for demonstration during faculty workshops, staff meetings, orientation and training sessions.

*A rating of 4, while classified as satisfactory, is defined as “marginal” and conveys the need to improve performance through program recommended remediation. Faculty using this assessment tool are expected to develop a common understanding of the criteria for each of these ratings through program wide faculty development activities.

The recommended two-step approach for using a nine-point scale:

Determine if the performance was satisfactory, unsatisfactory or superior

Determine which of the three possible ratings best reflects the observed trainee-patient encounter within the selected performance category:

ABIM recognizes that not all the ACGME general competencies can be easily assessed and evaluated by observing clinical skills. The listed examples are intended to demonstrate how the ABIM Mini-CEX could facilitate competency-based assessment and evaluation.

The ACGME General Competencies

As part of the ACGME Outcome Project, the ACGME identified six general competencies for residents. Identifying the competencies was stimulated by increased attention to how adequately physicians are prepared to practice medicine in the changing health care delivery system.

Patient Care and Procedural Skills (PCPS)

Gathers and synthesizes essential and accurate information to define each patient's clinical problem(s)